At Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital, Bay Area residents have access to comprehensive, advanced heart and vascular care, right in their own community.
Cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon Cesar Nahas, MD, associate professor at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), who serves as medical director of the cardiac surgery program at Memorial Hermann Southeast, says what sets Memorial Hermann Southeast apart is the hospital’s ability to deliver medical center expertise and personalized care, right in the community. “We’re small enough to be attentive to each patient, while keeping the quality of care high,” he says.
The affiliated heart and vascular specialists at Memorial Hermann Southeast, supported by a team of dedicated operating room nurses, ICU nurses, technicians, operating room technicians, perfusionists, nurse practitioners, office managers and office staff, provide a full spectrum of heart care—from prevention to treatment to recovery—all delivered in a convenient, personalized setting.
Prevention and Diagnosis
Specialty trained physicians affiliated with Memorial Hermann Southeast assess a patient’s risk for heart and vascular disease and then prescribe lifestyle modifications and/or medication, perform noninvasive and invasive diagnostic tests, and coordinate with other specialists for wellness, nutrition and weight management.
Accredited Chest Pain Center
Successful treatment of a heart attack requires immediate medical attention. Memorial Hermann Southeast is an accredited Chest Pain Center and a Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) hospital through The Joint Commission. The hospital operates ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) cardiac catheterization labs 24/7, ensuring patients receive fast intervention to clear blockages and relieve heart attack symptoms.
Minimally Invasive Heart Procedures
The affiliated cardiac surgeons at Memorial Hermann Southeast perform both traditional open and minimally invasive heart procedures, the latter of which may result in smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, less pain and quicker return to normal activities.
Memorial Hermann Southeast is one of five Memorial Hermann facilities offering transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), an innovative minimally invasive treatment for patients with severe aortic valve disease.
Affiliated cardiovascular disease specialist Abhijeet Dhoble, MD, associate professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, says, “Through Memorial Hermann’s academic partnership with UTHealth, our patients also have access to all the major mitral, tricuspid and aortic valve replacement clinical trials.”
Vascular and Endovascular Treatments
Affiliated vascular and endovascular surgeons at Memorial Hermann Southeast perform vascular and less invasive, endovascular, procedures to correct blood vessels outside of the heart and brain that may be narrowed, blocked or dilated. Examples include aortic aneurysm repair, balloon angioplasty, bypass surgery, carotid endarterectomy, carotid stenting and fistula creation and repair.
As affiliated vascular surgeon Sophia Khan-Makoid, MD, assistant professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, explains, “Heart surgeons and neurosurgeons focus on the heart and brain, respectively. Vascular surgeons take care of all the blood vessels coming from the heart, going to the brain, arms, gut and all the way down to the legs.”
Heart Rhythm Treatments
Heart arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, can affect the heart’s ability to pump blood properly and can lead to serious health issues. The team of skilled electrophysiologists affiliated with Memorial Hermann Southeast diagnoses and treats all types of heart arrythmias, including atrial fibrillation (AFib). Depending on the diagnosis, a patient’s treatment plan might include medication and/or cardioversion, pacemaker/ICD implantation or heart ablation.
The Latest Technologies
Memorial Hermann Southeast boasts the latest technologies, including robotic surgical systems, state-of-the-art catheter labs, two hybrid operating-endovascular suites, a cardiovascular intensive care unit (CV-ICU) and a dedicated cardiac rehabilitation facility. “The quality of care in this hospital is unbelievable,” says affiliated structural/interventional cardiologist Nadish Garg, MD. “The nursing support is amazing, and the facilities are state-of-the-art.”
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Memorial Hermann Southeast offers a medically supervised 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program designed to reduce a patient’s risk of re-hospitalization, lessen the need for cardiac medications and encourage a return to work following a heart-related illness. Each program is tailored to the patient’s specific needs and includes exercise, nutrition counseling, stress management and other services.
Keeping Patients Safe
To keep patients safe, Memorial Hermann introduced Safe Wait™, a new safety protocol that enforces social distancing in patient waiting areas, includes screening of patients and employees, staggering scheduled appointments and, when necessary, asking patients to wait in their vehicles for their appointments. With Safe Wait and the other safety measures in place, patients can get the care they need with peace of mind.
An Ongoing Commitment
Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Noel J. Cárdenas says the hospital will continue to offer new and innovative heart and vascular services and treatments. “Heart disease is a leading cause of death among U.S. adults. Memorial Hermann is at the forefront of advancing heart health in Houston. We are committed to helping Bay Area residents prevent or manage cardiovascular illness through advanced, personalized care.”
For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit memorialhermann.org/SEheart or call 713.222.2273.
Name: Rebecca Lilley
Memorial Hermann is continuing its expansion into the Bay Area by announcing plans to open Memorial Hermann Urgent Care in Clear Lake in the summer of 2016.
